A Basic Guide To Freelance Writing: How To Start Your Career

For those who have a certain way with words, there may be no better career than that of a writer. Though for some, the idea of conforming to another person’s rules and regulations for writing may be unappealing. In this case, the career of a freelance writer may be the best choice. A freelance writer essentially works for themselves, on a self-employed basis. Typically, they submit their work to magazines, newspapers, and blogs and are paid accordingly.

Ask Yourself:

If you have decided upon the fact that a freelance writing career may be the best for you, you may be wondering how to go about entering the field.

Consider: are you a good writer? Are you capable of communicating effectively with others?

This may not come across most people’s minds. Many people do not stop to consider if they are truly a good writer, they simply assume that they are.

Your writing skill as well as your personal charisma will determine whether or not you will attract clients and hold your own without being supported by a company. Many freelance writers find themselves between a rock and a hard place after plunging into the career without a second thought.

The First Steps:

You will find that the majority of the steps to becoming a freelance writer are all dependent on you, and your attitude towards the career as well as the field. The next few things to consider are:

Your self-discipline and your goals.

Working for yourself and essentially making business for yourself calls for extremely strong self-discipline, especially when it comes to finance.

It is wise to develop an organization method for all of your income and expenses.

It is also essential to make goals for yourself. If one of your dreams is to be featured in The New York Times, make it a goal and keep striving to meet it. Like most things, the amount of effort and time you put into your freelance writing will directly affect how much you get out of it.

Develop Your Writing:

When you first begin freelance writing, you should begin creating and expanding your writing portfolio. Do this by:

Taking on new jobs and assignments and keeping record of them.

Much like a resume, this will show potential clients what you have done and what you may be open to doing in the near future.

Start expanding your portfolio by taking on smaller jobs with smaller companies at first and working your way up.

Easy, small assignments will most likely give you a chance to creatively work on your skills all while getting the job done.

As your assignments get more challenging with larger, more well-known clients, your portfolio will begin to take a respectable look.

Remember, the more well-rounded of a writer you are, the better chances you have of catching the attention of a client.

Find your clients by looking through publications that you are a fan of such as magazines, newspapers, and even websites. There are plenty of companies and individuals looking for a skilled writer; you just have to find them.

Entering The Field:

Your biggest setback will of course be the competition. Just make sure that you have plenty to offer to a client.

Try to be as well-rounded as possible; write as many articles on as many different topics as you can.

A writer that portrays a strong skill in many categories of writing will have the advantage on one who chooses to cover the same sorts of topics in their writing.

Maintain and improve your skills by reading the works of more well-renowned writers. There will always be something that you can take from another writer’s piece that will contribute towards your own work and help you develop new skills.